NFL RUMORS AND LATEST NEWS

The Saints have a logjam of middle linebackers trying to return from injury following the additions of Jonathan Vilma, acquired in a trade with the Jets, and the signing of UFA Dan Morgan. Mark Simoneau, last year’s starter in the middle, was re-signed as well. However, if Morgan and Vilma can stay healthy, New Orleans will find a way to get both Pro Bowlers on the field, with Morgan most likely shifting to the weak side to share time with Scott Shanle.


A source close to the Titans wonders if the team got one of the bigger bargains in free agency when it signed ex-Falcons TE Alge Crumpler to a two-year contract. Crumpler’s contract reportedly is for $5 million with a $1 million signing bonus. Concerns about Crumpler’s long-term durability — he has had some knee problems — dampened his market value, but he quickly could become an important part of the Titans’ offense if he can stay healthy. The Titans, who were looking for a replacement for unrestricted free-agent TE Ben Troupe, made Crumpler, 30, their first major free-agent signing.


It’s not out of the question that Eagles CB Lito Sheppard could return to the team. Philadelphia has received a lot of offers for the unhappy cornerback and is said to be boiling them down in an effort to find the best deal. That said, the team’s approach this offseason has been to add useful players, and if the right deal doesn’t come along the Eagles could keep Sheppard for one year and worry about his status after this season.

The Broncos’ linebacker corps is beginning to take shape, thanks to the addition of two free-agent signings — Lions UFA Boss Bailey and Seahawks UFA Niko Koutouvides. Word is D.J. Williams will move from the middle to the weak side and Bailey, the younger brother of Broncos Pro Bowl CB Champ Bailey, will take over on the strong side. That leaves Koutouvides, who made most of his contributions for Seattle on special teams, in the middle. However, while Williams and Bailey are entrenched as starters, Koutouvides could still get beaten out for the starting job by another veteran or rookie.

A team source tells us that he’d put the probability of Chiefs franchised DE Jared Allen signing a multi-year deal before the July 15 deadline at 30-70.

The Bengals signed DE Antwan Odom for less money than it was going to take to bring back Justin Smith, and Odom had four times as many sacks as Smith did a season ago. So it’s easy to see why Cincinnati likes the signing. However, there are some in Tennessee who wonder if Odom is ready to deal with the extra attention he’s going to receive now that he has become one of the Bengals’ highest-profile defensive players.

Could longtime Broncos PK Jason Elam be kicking for the Chiefs in 2008? It appears so. Word is the Chiefs, whose placekicking was lousy in 2007, are seriously considering offering Elam, an unrestricted free agent, the type of money that would be difficult for him to turn down.

Have the Redskins cooled on WR D.J. Hackett? The market for the free-agent receiver has been colder than many expected, and even the WR-needy Redskins and head coach Jim Zorn — who coached Hackett in Seattle — appear to be leaning in other directions right now, though we hear that could change.

After failing to deal DT Dewayne Robertson to the Bengals, the Jets continue to harbor hope that they can find a willing partner to obtain his services. It might be difficult to do, seeing as how his bum knee continues to raise concerns for would-be suitors.

Our Packers sources tell us that, even before Brett Favre announced his retirement, the team had its eye on UFA QB Quinn Gray of the Jaguars, who is now being seriously considered for the backup job behind Aaron Rodgers, among numerous other possibilities via free agency or trade.



We hear the Rams would really like some insurance at the CB position because of concerns about the long-term status of starting CB Fakhir Brown. Brown missed four games at the start of the 2007 season for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy and is one more mishap away from facing a one-year suspension. Team insiders tell us the Rams were very interested in free-agent CBs Jacques Reeves and Drayton Florence, before they signed with other teams, and are one of about 15 teams that have recently looked into the availability of Eagles CB Lito Sheppard.

After going underground for a month or so following what turned out to be a wretched season, both physically and mentally, our Niners sources tell us QB Alex Smith is feeling a lot better these days and is enthusiastically welcoming the challenge of battling Shaun Hill for the starting QB job. Smith has just begun throwing again, with his range of motion finally back to normal following December shoulder surgery. After the surgery, Smith said his arm stayed in a sling for six weeks.



We hear the Seahawks have only just begun to revamp the tight-end position with the acquisition of free agent Jeb Putzier, who caught just six passes for the Texans last season. In the best-case scenario, team insiders tell us the Seahawks envision Putzier as a much more dependable No. 3 tight end than Bennie Joppru, who, according to one source, was “just dreadful” last season. Word is the team is more than willing to live with Will Heller as the No. 2 tight end, but considers finding an upgrade via the draft or free agency from disappointing 2007 starter Marcus Pollard a top priority.

We hear the Cardinals have an interest in bringing back Tim Hasselbeck to compete for the No. 3 QB job with either a late-round draft pick or a rookie free agent. As for Tim Rattay, word is he’s probably out of the picture.

In dire need of O-line help, we hear Bears head coach Lovie Smith is intrigued by Boise State junior OT Ryan Clady as an option with the 14th overall pick in the 2008 draft and is expected to give Clady a private workout in Boise, Idaho, some time early this coming week.

We hear that it does not appear the Texans are going to push to re-sign RB Ron Dayne. Houston has interest in ex-Buccaneers and Falcons RB Warrick Dunn.

The signing of Ravens ST Brendon Ayanbadejo fits Baltimore’s free-agency blueprint: He came at an affordable price, and he upgrades the special-teams coverage units — a group near and dear to the heart of new head coach John Harbaugh, who spent nine years coaching the Eagles’ special teams.